The distinguished surname Alberani can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Emilia Romagna. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Alberani is one of the Italian patronymic surnames, created from the father's given name. The surname Alberani came from the personal name Albert, which means "noble and bright."